Journalist Gabunia’s possible murder plan
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Wednesday, June 17
Nika Gvaramia, General Director of the Main Channel, spoke at a special June 15th briefing about the possible liquidation plan of TV journalist Giorgi Gabunia. According to Gvaramia, the Georgian Counter-Terrorism Service has detained a Russian citizen, born in Ingushetia, Vasambek Bokov. Gvaramia claimed the official pretext for his arrest was different, however, the reason was real.
“As far as I know, he was arrested for another reason, but the main thing that became known to the Georgian authorities by the Ukrainian law enforcement is that he was planning the liquidation of Giorgi Gabunia, the distinguished figure and face of this channel, this country's journalism and prominent citizen of this country in general, by order of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov,” Gvaramia announced, adding that this topic was discussed by the time and everyone remembered Kadyrov’s statements and warnings from ‘our Caucasian friends and not only.’
Founder of the Main Channel revealed that according to his source, the information beame known from the counter-terrorism department and an investigation was launched on the territory of Ukraine.
Gvaramia notes that the planned liquidation of Giorgi Gabunia was coordinated on the territory of Ukraine, which was managed from the territory of Russia, in particular, from the Chechen Republic. According to him, direct actions were taking place in Georgia.
The director general says that Giorgi Gabunia has been under surveillance for months, which is why the TV channel has strengthened his protection. “I will not hide from you that we thought it was the government of [Georgia]. All our leading faces are being monitored by the government,” Gvaramia added.
According to the head of the Main Channel, the investigation was carried out on the territory of Ukraine without informing Georgia. “The reason for this was that Georgia is not a reliable partner when an investigation is launched against Russian citizens, and there was strong suspicion regarding leaking information from here,” Gvaramia suggested, connecting the linkage of the case to Georgia's law enforcement to the loss of control due to the pandemic.
“Georgian authorities have not taken this information seriously. Considered a provocation of the great Georgian lobby in Ukraine. Nevertheless, it has strengthened control over the movement of Giorgi Gabunia, and this is welcome.” Gvaramia said.He added, that, one of the main faces of television and his deputy has been under mortal threat at the behest of the world's number one terrorist, Vladimir Putin's main terrorist base, Kadyrov.
Gvaramia says he will blame the Georgian government for any damage caused to any employee of the Main Channel. He called on Georgian and Ukrainian law enforcement to make public as much information as possible at this time.
According to the TV host himself, he did not have any information about which Gvaramia spoke at the special briefing, but added that he was generally informed that he was in danger. “The voices came to me to be careful, when you go abroad and so on. But I still did not have specific information,” Gabunia said, adding that danger was very clear, especially after Kadyrov said that ‘someone would meet me somewhere and something would happen to me’.
On July 7th, 2019, Giorgi Gabunia, who at the time worked at Rustavi 2 channel, cursed Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Rustavi 2 program ‘Postscriptum’, using swear words in Russian. Soon Gabunia’s words caused protest at the rally near TV company Rustavi 2, which demanded the change of management and for Gabunia to leave the channel. The Georgian authorities negatively assessed Gabunia’s swearing; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community and international organizations working on issues of press freedom to give journalist Gabunia’s behavior proper evaluation.
Putin also responded, saying “It is a great honor for him to initiate such a criminal case. May he cover in the future as well.”
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has advised Giorgi Gabunia to hide after cursing the Russian president, as “there are millions of young people who respect the Russian president.”
The State Security Service (SSS) conducted a special operation in Tbilisi on June 12th.
Later, on 15th of June, the SSS responded to media reports that the Counter-Terrorism Center has detained a citizen of the Russian Federation under the first part of Article 362 of the Criminal Code of Georgia on charges of purchasing, storing and using a forged document.
According to SSS, the accused V. B. has been arrested on the basis of an investigation into a criminal case initiated on the order to prepare for premeditated murder, which was carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Center of the SSS on the basis of relevant operative information.
SSS reported that in the course of the investigation of the mentioned criminal case, in order to obtain evidence and attach them to the criminal procedure, on the basis of the judge's decisions, a number of open or covert investigative actions were carried out; At the same time, the accused V.B and related persons were under operative control, as a result of which the fact of crime was revealed, in particular the purchase, storage and use of a forged document, by V.B.
According to the statement, based on the unequivocal and conclusive evidence obtained by the investigation, the investigating authority accepted decision to detain him, as a result of which, on the one hand, the person found guilty of the crime was held criminally liable, and at the same time, another more serious crime was avoided.
At this stage, as SSS says, the case is being intensively investigated, a number of examinations have been scheduled, within the framework of international cooperation, through Interpol channels, additional information has been requested, and witnesses are being questioned.
The SSS urges all persons, including the party to the criminal case, to refrain from disseminating any kind of accurate or inaccurate information so as not to obstruct the investigation and to disseminate essential and/or false information that would ultimately harm the principal. It is in the public interest to establish an objective truth about the case.
